“I mean, I obviously wasn’t prepared to get hit there,” McQuaid said of the hit after the game tonight. “It was an icing, it would have been different if I was even reaching for the puck, but Fer [Andrew Ference] was the one who got the puck, so I’m not really sure what happened to be honest with you….not sure how hard it was or anything, I just wasn’t prepared to get hit in that situation.”

McQuaid was helped off the ice after laying face-down behind the net for a few moments. He passed a few tests in the locker room by Bruins’ medical staff, then returned to the game later on in the second frame, and finished the contest with 10:10 total ice time over 12 shifts.

“He’s a quiet kid but tough as nails; a tough Islander,” said teammate Shawn Thornton of McQuiad’s fortitude.

Shelley received a five-minute major and a 10-minute game-misconduct for his wreckless play.

The play happened extremely fast, and McQuaid is taking Shelley’s word that the hit was an accident.

“He was saying to me, I could hear on the ice say he didn’t mean to,” McQuaid said about Shelley explaining the hit was intentional.

“When I was coming off the ice he was there waiting for me there, and said he was sorry and didn’t mean to so. Kinda take what he says.”

Thornton is no stranger of Shelley — who has career penalty minutes total of 1,420 in 569 games played. After the game, Thornton had this to say of the hit, and of Shelley.

“If it was on purpose, that’s the stuff we have to get out of the game,” Thornton said. “If he tripped; then those things happen. I didnt see the replay and it happened so quickly. It’s never easy seeing a temamate lay on the ground.

“In my history with that guy, he’s always been honest with me so I really don’t know what to say except you don’t what to see your teammate lay there. I’m hoping it was an accident. And if it wasn’t then that’s the exactly the stuff we talk about as players as a union getting out of the game…dangerous plays.”